Service Honors Local Youth Along With The Rev. King

Youth Honored Along With The Rev. King

January 20, 1992|By GARY DUCHANE; Courant Staff Writer

Several hundred residents of Hartford and surrounding communities gathered at the Faith Seventh-day Adventist Church Sunday night to remember two people. One inspired a community and another inspired a nation. Both died violently.

Civil rights leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and promising Hartford artist Melvin Kardulis were both eulogized with sorrowful words and joyous songs on the evening before the holiday honoring King's birthday.

The message Sunday brought back memories of King's exhortations: Live together without violence. But it was brought home with new meaning by Kardulis' untimely death.

"We've got to come together," said Paul Harrison, a 16-year-old Middletown youth and member of the church choir. "We've got to stop fighting and make peace."

Although this is the fourth annual celebration of King's birthday that was sponsored by the church and The Artists Collective, it was Kardulis' death three weeks ago in a Farmington Avenue parking lot that gave the program its significance.

"Our hearts go out to the Kardulis family. We lost one of our brave young warriors," said Jackie McLean, founder of The Artists Collective, a Hartford arts group.

The two-hour program that featured gospel, negro spirituals, jazz, and blues music was titled "In Memory." Friends of Kardulis' marched slowly down the aisle of the church holding candles and red carnations. With sober reflection, they placed them on a table near a picture of Kardulis.

Church First Elder Dan Fider said the candles were meant to rekindle the spirit of King. The flowers were for Kardulis.

"We want to perpetuate the spirit. That is the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King. Out of the darkness all around, we still see a ray of hope," he said. "We hope people can begin to live together and be aware of each other as individuals."

But Kardulis' death points to the fact that the world is still a violent place, he said.

"Violence can touch all of us. If we learn to live together, then we can taper this problem to a certain degree," Fider said.

Kardulis died on Dec. 30, just a week before his 18th birthday. He was a talented and popular student at Hartford's Weaver High School, and a member of the Artists Collective.

His passion was art. He planned to study art in college and had received a scholarship to study at Savannah College of Art. Sunday, a letter was read from his high school art teacher, Genie Odoms.

"Melvin was a true individual in mind, soul, style and creativity," Odoms wrote. "He was always a free spirit. More than a good person, he was alive. As long as he lives in the minds of others he will have immortality."

Alan Silver brought his family to the church from Portland Sunday to hear the music. He did not know Kardulis or his family, but the evening left an impression, he said.

"I was very touched by it. I think the community is crying out for help and I am sympathetic. They are losing a generation of people," Silver said.

The message was somber Sunday night, but the music that filled the Faith Seventh-day Adventist Church was joyous.

When the Rev. Hubert Powell and The Heavenly Choir took the stage, and burst into a rousing rendition of "What A Mighty God We Serve," the sanctuary was filled with sound.

Many members of the audience, made up of many races, stood and began clapping to the music. Others swayed back and forth, singing and shouting "Amen" as the choir continued to increase its vocal volume.

The choir was followed by The Mitchell/Ruff Duo and the widely known gospel singer Thomas Whitfield.

Kathleen Palm, secretary for the Artists Collective board of directors, said the evening, like the group, offers hope.

"The positive side, and the purpose of the collective, is to offer urban kids an alternative; to offer hope, pride and joy, which is what they should have."